


The Outlaws' Jester

by Kerzenlicht



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics), The Court Jester (1955)
Genre: (Usurper) King!Thomas Elliot, Adopted Prince!Jason Todd, Alternate Universe, Barbara Gordon/Oracle as Captain Jean, Creepy!Hush, Current Queen! Talia Al'Ghul, Dick Grayson as Hawkins, Former Queen!Selena Kyle, King!Bruce Wayne, Prince Child!Damien Wayne, Princess!Helena Wayne, Red Hood as the Black Fox
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-23
Packaged: 2018-12-18 17:47:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11879631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kerzenlicht/pseuds/Kerzenlicht
Summary: Returning to his castle is King Thomas. Thomas the usurper, who some months before had seized the throne by disposing of Queen Talia. The previous ruler King Bruce and his daughter, Princess Helena, have been lost at sea for over a year. They are presumed to be dead. But! Uneasy lies Hush's crown, for rumor hath it that an infant, the rightful heir to the throne, had survived his mother's murder.





	1. Scene 1

“King Thomas the First” The muscular male smirked into the mirror, “You are a handsome devil.” Thomas reached out, scooping out medicinal lotion of a decorative bowl located next to his shaving supplies. It was his time to be Batman, the leader of Gotham's armies. A thin layer of ointment was expertly applied to the bat styled tattoo etched into the King's forearm. 

“Hush dear Gotham, the rotten apple of my eye...”

“Sire.” A voice marred by caustic elements wheezed behind his chamber's door.

Thomas rapid stride pounded 'Doom and gloom, doom and fume, doom and... Boom.' “Alchemist Crane. What urgent business brought you out of the dungeon?”

“Dire news, King Thomas. A messenger from the forest has seen the infant.”

“The one the fools proclaim to be the prince child?” 

“Aye, sire.”

King Thomas scoffed, “How do you know that this is a royal child and not some outrageous imposter? The Queen was in the last months of her pregnancy when I slew her.”

“The spy was quite adamant, even when he was exposed to my methods of persuasion. It was rather unfortunate the peon expired soon after.” King Thomas glared, demanding Crane to continue, “Disguised as one of Red Hood's new recruits, he saw the child.” Unfurling a crumpled piece of parchment, the alchemist nicknamed the Scarecrow handed over the charcoal-sketched evidence, “The spy fancied himself an artist.” 

“...The royal birthmark.” King Thomas mused, “A true prince, a tumble on the wrong side of the sheets or an imposter... it matters not. The tree mice and gutter rats will still seek to put a puppet on the throne. I want the child dead.”

“My King, it shall be done.”

“Good. Now tell me how.”

“I will send out a horde of henchmen.”

“Contaminated with an infant-targeted toxin?”

“Of course, sire. Select individuals will be given the task to poison the wells and reservoirs to spread the poison's reach.”

“It sounds as if you have planned this out beforehand.”

“Only in my dreams,” 

“And your preparations for retaliation?” 

“ I have developed antidotes for the children of your more loyal nobles.”

King Thomas hummed in acknowledgment, “Add a task force to destroy that brash pest, Red Hood. He is long overdue for some accident to befall his fortune.”

“Consider the contracts made.” The alchemist bowed and then rushed away, some silent hurricane speeding his footsteps at an eager pace.

Turning around, King Thomas strode to his decorative desk. With surgical precision, the man picked the lock on an equally elaborate box. Corrupting Cousin Bruce's castle was one of his favorite past times. Case in point, the keys for the various compartments and drawers were useless, save for poisoning thieves. 

Resting on midnight velvet was the well polished surface of a war crown. No jewels interrupted the smooth platinum surface nicknamed 'the Mockingbird'. 

With a deft, ritualistic gesture, King Thomas steadied the metal shielding his skull. Next, a curved dagger the length of his finger was secreted away. “Hush, little baby... I hear you cry.”


	2. Scene 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starring:  
> Jason Todd, Red Hood;  
> Richard Grayson, Nightwing;  
> Barbara Gordon, Oracle;  
> Lian (Roy Harper's daughter)

The Red Hood arrived home from patrol to find his 'Merry Men and Ladies' in the brightest of moods. He groaned. 

Weaving through the crowd, he quickly spotted the flying acrobat. “Grayson!”

“Little Wing!” The beaming man took a tumble from the treetops, landing in the perfect position to launch forward into a hug. Red Hood failed to evade, growling as he twisted free by overpowering Dick's limbs.   
“Dick, how many times have I told you to stay away from my spare helmets? They are not toys to juggle with!”

“But I have to make sure that my little brother is protected by durable equipment!”

The Red Hood snorted, “Dick, you would just as easily use it as a chalice to toast announcements with. And we are not brothers. You don't even know my name.”

“Sure I do: little brother, little wing-” Dick squawked as ducked one of Hood's fists,

“I meant the name I was born with. Seems something brothers should know.”

“Well, I would if you told me,” Dick replied. The Red Hood stepped away, the circus performer looked ready to squeeze the truth out of him.

“Never gonna happen.” Not the octopus hug and definitely not his name.

A sharp whistle announced the arrival of one of his captains. Red Hood saw his chance. He snagged a tiny body off a boulder and placed the little girl in between them. Out of the corner of his eye, he identified the returning patrol as Barbara's. Red Hood and the approaching captain watched Lian giggle, reach up toward Grayson, Dick visibly restrained himself from cooing before giving in and twirling the child through the air. 

“Your hero.” Captain Barbara chuckled.

“Lian volunteered.”

“She would never  _ be  _ volunteered if it had been anyone else. You are more overprotective than Roy, her father, at times.”   
Red Hood shrugged, “It is a godfather's privilege and duty.”   
“Speaking of duty, the new recruits are arriving.”   
Red Hood frowned, “How did I end up building an army?” He struggled to trust even his captains. And they had been with him since the beginning.

“I believe it was to upstage a most abhorrent individual.” Largely because of Admiral Hush's violent ascension to the throne.

Barbara eyed her general's hands. The scarred masses of muscle were twitching minutely, one of the few warning signals before the Red Hood would start fidgeting with his weapons. A flicker of pity for the newbies was smothered. Baptism by explosion it was.  


End file.
